Archive for the ‘royal baby’ Category

The Princess of Cambridge has finally been revealed to the world as Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.

Like millions of other worldwide I wanted to know what the baby would be named – a welcome relief from all of the election news and political squabbling filling our TV screens.

Watching the news it struck me just how powerful the presence of babies is. They cause us all to smile, stop us in our tracks at supermarkets and are an endless source of celebration.

In Japan mothers and babies are generally encouraged to visit the elderly in care homes.

In fact, new mums are now being given the chance to get back into work by taking their babies on paid visits to elderly in day care and residential centres.

The Mama no Hatarakikata Oentai organisation in the southern city of Kobe sends mothers and babies into care homes in order to stimulate the minds of residents.

Mums are paid around 2,000 yen (£13) per visit, and their work not only raises spirits but eases symptoms of age-related illnesses like dementia, medical experts have claimed.

Fascinating!

The value of a baby’s presence is gathering credibility it appears with the BBC reporting that the Hatarakikata Oentai organisation is also sending mothers and babies into schools under the “baby teachers” programme to teach pupils to appreciate the value of life.

The magic of a baby’s presence is timeless and cuts across both age and cultural barriers.

“The moment the babies, cradled in their mothers’ arms, entered the room, a round of cheerful ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ gushed from the elderly, whose faces until then had been expressionless,” a report from Kobe, said.

It added: “Some smiled and some opened their eyes wide as they looked at the babies. “Adorable!” one said, while others eagerly extended their hands in a plea to hold one of the infants.

“A 75-year-old woman with dementia who often picks quarrels with others gazed affectionately at a baby, while a 93-year-old man who had been drowsy due to medicine to keep him from acting violently made strenuous efforts to talk to another baby.”

In a world of uncertainty about the future of our elderly care, it’s heartening to know that babies will always impart their own special something.

I can only hope our new Princess Charlotte will have brought some special moments to our country’s greatest asset – the elderly.